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Halloween Snack Board

A tasty way to enjoy Halloween Treats!

You are going to feel like the ghostess with the mostest when you try this Halloween Snack Board.

This Halloween snack board is just the thing you need to try. Snack boards are so multi-purpose. I do them for lunches and I do them for birthdays. This board was created last year when Covid hit and we were all in lock down. It was such a somber season for for the entire Nicola Valley and the world.  As a result I decided we would have our own little party.

Halloween Snack Board and Treats in Merritt BC

Halloween Puns Are So Corny. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Snack Boards are Spooktacular Treats!

 I had never made one for Halloween and wanted to boost the kids spirits. We assembled this easy enough and I am sure you could definitely simplify it by only picking a few elements to recreate. Furthermore, I wanted the kids to be quite hands on with this and have a great experience. Based on the snack board we created as a family for Valentine’s Day, I had some ideas on what I wanted to do. 

Hot Dog Dinner for Halloween

Lets Give Them Pumpkin To Talk About! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Spooky Season is upon us 

Getting spooky like this is easy with a quick trip to Walmart. They always have such a great assortment of cookies and cupcakes seasonally. So putting something like this Halloween snack board can be as easy as 1,2,3! You can make your board a mixture of sweet or savory, like I chose to.  Or you can choose to keep it completely on the sweet side with gummy candy, cookies, and candy bars.  This Halloween snack board has some homemade items and some bought items. Don’t burn yourself out. Let your creative juices flow. Lastly and most importantly have fun and take a lot of photos of your creative eating masterpiece like we did. !

Treats for Halloween Snacking Board

We’re Here For A Gourd Time! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Mummy Dog How To! 

Interested in making your own mummy hot dogs? They come together easily enough. And can make your own Halloween snack board totally stand out. All you need are your favorite hot dogs. Then some canned crescent roll pastry.  You then simply place the crescent roll pastry on to your cutting board. Cut into strips and then wrap them around your hot dog. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 mins or so at 350 degrees. You can then use mustard to make eyes. Lastly theses were so fun for all of my kids to make. So easy and very tasty! 

Baking and making Halloween treats

Let the Halloween Treats begin. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Mummy Hotdogs

You Will Win The Award Of “Mummy Of The Year” With These Guys! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Looks So Beautiful and Yummy

Healthy Snacks for Halloween

Cavities Beware. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell

Hocus pocus its no joke, candy helps me to focus. Lets zero in on some of these spooky treats. For this Halloween snack board we first have an easy addition with red pepper hummus.  Add in some pumpkin type lines and the top of a cucumber and you have an adorable pumpkin. Can you find the black olive spiders? They came together quick and easy. Just slice open 1 black olive lay it flat and with the opposite side make the legs. The peeled oranges and if you take a closer look you will also spy pumpkin deviled eggs. We used some turmeric and mustard to get a more orange hue. Crackers, gummy worms, tiny spooky cupcakes all round this tray out. Lastly make this your own and let your creativity flow. 

 

Healthy Halloween Treats

Life Is Gourd Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Have an eek-tastic Halloween

“Fa-boo-lous!

You are going to feel like the ghostess with the mostest when you try this Halloween Snack Board. I promise you it comes together easy enough. There is so much inspiration online. As a busy mom of 8, I can say that we all had so much fun. I had little ones making spiders, snacking and laughing. All gathered around my table.. This was honestly one of our biggest highlights from lockdown, and I’m so thankful I get to be in a space that lets me share our families experiences Being able to share our stories with. Experience Nicola Valley fills my heart with gratitude. In conclusion from my family to you, we wish you a happy and safe fall season. 

Family halloween treats and sweets

#Squadghouls. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

And finally, just a teaser, for the next big holiday after Thanksgiving here is a sneak peek into our  Christmas themed snack board. 

Halloween Snack Board in the Nicola Valley

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Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Baking Recipes in the Nicola Valley

Everyone needs an easy fruit crisp recipe that they can go to again and again.

Baking recipe in the Nicola Valley : This easy strawberry rhubarb crisp is one I have used for years now. Fruit crisps are a great way to add a dessert to any meal that’s so rustic and tasty its sure to leave any tummy happy. We used what was on hand our garden rhubarb and paired it with some extra strawberries. Creating a stunning, sweet and tart after dinner treat.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Photo Credit by Jennifer Schell

Fun Facts About Rhubarb 

Some fun facts about rhubarb. If the idea of eating it makes you wrinkle your nose these might be a way to entice you to eat more of it in the future. Rhubarb is a anti-inflammatory that can help build your bone strength.  It can improve your liver health and is packed with fiber, calcium, vitamin C and potassium. A quick caution however you want to make sure you never consume the leaf of the plant just the stalk. The leaves are very poisonous, wash your hands after you handle. A great way to remove your rhubarb is to twist it with your hands. Never cut it. As that can confuse the plant and it will stop producing stalks for you to enjoy. 

nicola valley strawberry rhubarb crisp

Rhubarb is part of this baking recipe in the Nicola Valley. Photo credit: planet_fox

Baking Recipe in the Nicola Valley : Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp 

The crisp comes together in about 20 minutes or so.  In my experience it has easy kitchen staples of flour, sugar and butter this egg free dish is easy like I said to mix up in a flash. Finally assemble your ingredients and lets get baking.

Ingredients

6 Cups of chopped and washed Rhubarb

2 Cups of chopped Strawberries

Two tsp of Flour 

2 tsp of Brown Sugar 

1 tsp of Cinnamon ( optional) 

In a separate bowl assemble.

3/4 Cups of Flour

1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder

1/8 tsp Salt

1/3 Cups of Butter

1 Cup of Brown Sugar

1 Cup of Quick Cooking Oats

Directions

Firstly combine fruit, flour and sugar ( and optional cinnamon ) in a greased 9X13 baking dish. Secondly in your second bowl combine your flour, baking powder, salt, cut in your butter until its nice and crumbly. Thirdly stir in your brown sugar and quick oats. Lastly sprinkle over your fruit. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

In addition

This easy strawberry rhubarb crisp is easy to swap out with so many other filling options. Of course the most popular would be apple crisp, then we have berry crisp. Nectarines or even a peach crisp. You could mix and match kind of like what we did mixing the strawberries with rhubarb. Peach and blueberry.  Try a combo of apples, pecans and caramel drizzle. The ideas and options are endless with this treat once you have a fail safe crisp topping you can trust and know it will never fail. 

crispy rhubarb pie nicola valley

Strawberry rhubarb crisp. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell

Rhubarb Strawberry Crisp Topping Suggestions

I am so curious to know if you would prefer to eat this dessert of easy strawberry rhubarb crisp as is or are you a fan of toppings? Of course I would certainly eat it plain. But I love the extra too sometimes. Not only milk but other toppings I would include could be ice cream, or heavy cream. A caramel drizzle or chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts or maybe even peanuts. The possibilities are really endless. 

In Conclusion 

If you make this easy strawberry rhubarb crisp be sure to tag us on social media.

You can find us to tag using https://www.facebook.com/experiencenicolavalley/ here on Facebook and https://www.instagram.com/experiencenicolavalley/ here on Instagram.

The Experience Nicola Valley Team is real people, sharing real experiences, we tell stories about our home town.  It is our mission to inspire, educate and share with you our adventures and experiences. And we would love to see yours also. So start with this baking recipe in the Nicola Valley. 

Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

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Festive White Hot Chocolate – Merry Christmas

Festive White Hot Chocolate – Merry Xmas

Festive white hot chocolate is a decadent twist on a winter warmer you may not have tried yet 

With a few simple ingredients, this creamy indulgent treat takes your winter holiday experience to a delectable new level

Who doesn’t love sipping on festive white hot chocolate, something warm and creamy, after being outside? Especially with out chilly winters here in Canada. I think everyone has a staple that they reach for when they come in from the cold. For some it may be a warm coffee or tea. However, you can rest assure, in my home, we are usually sipping on hot chocolate or apple cider after a romp in the snow. Why not make a fun twist on a childhood classic and give this one a try today. 

White Chocolate In The Great White North

Warming up after being outdoors is nothing new to us Canadians.  But have you ever considered trying white chocolate? Do you like it? Have you ever even tried it? White chocolate is not technically chocolate so its a great caffeine free option if you were not aware of that.

What I do know is that the kids will sleep good that night, after you have tuckered them out from being in the snow. Lastly, white chocolate is creamy and sweet, a less bitter option of its dark and delicious cousin. 

White Hot Chocolate Recipe & Method

6 oz of White Bakers Chocolate Squares

395 grams of White Chocolate Chips

4 Cups of Water

3 cups of Powdered Milk

Pinch of Salt

2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of Half n Half 

Extra Toppings for Hot Chocolate: 

Festive Sprinkles, Marshmallows, Whipped Cream, Toasted Coconut, Oreo chunks or more white chocolate chips.

Method:

Add all the ingredients ( except the extra add ins ) to a pot. We are going to slowly stir and warm everything up together. Whisking or stirring frequently, we want everything smooth and melted together for maximum flavor.

Keeping an eye on the heat we do not want to bring this to a boil. Serve warm with your marshmallows and maybe some extra chocolate chips. Or with a generous serving of whipped cream and sprinkles. In addition I think Oreo chunks would also look and taste amazing!

Do You Like It Honey?

Famous last words right? I turned to my husband Kyle and asked him if he would like some of our festive hot cocoa. To which he replied “Sure!” I gave him a steaming mug of the liquid sweet syrupy goodness and he drank it silently and walked off. Curious my treat drink was a flop to him, I followed him and asked him that fateful question “Do you like it honey?” to which he replied that it was “OK”.

OK?! Shocked and thinking that my drink for the blog was quickly tuning into a flop… I mustered up the courage to ask him, “Would it taste better added to half coffee?” To which Kyle quickly smiled and said “oh you bet!” I think adults may or may not appreciate adding this to half coffee creating a while hot chocolate mocha. 

 Winter Experiences With Experience Nicola Valley

Winter in Logan Lake and the Nicola Valley is honestly boastful. We enjoy many indoor and outdoor fall/winter activities. To learn what to do and who is who please follow the Experience Nicola Valley Bloggers. It is always a good idea. They work hard to find activities and experiences that you and others will enjoy all year round. If you are looking for inspiration as to what to do before you enjoy a mug of this festive white hot cocoa, check out this link here. 

 

Rest assured in my home we are usually sipping on something warm after a romp in the snow. Why not make a fun twist on a childhood classic and give white hot chocolate a try today. 

Hot Chocolate in Logan Lake BC

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School Snack Ideas – Snacking – Recipes

School Snack Ideas and Recipes

My Best 5 School Snack Ideas!  

Being a mama of 7,  our house runs on snacks. I  hope you enjoy my 5 back to school snack ideas! Nutritious and delicious. 

 So this week I decided to share with you our school snack ideas! Consequently it is back to school season. Therefore it is a great time to share school snack ideas that my family comes back to again and again. I think these snacking suggestions would be great for anyone, home schooled or public schooled. Assuredly these are some great options if you are hungry and need something to tie you over until your next meal.

Plant Based School Snack Ideas

I love using plant based treats for snack time. These snacks come loaded with healthy grains,  nuts and seeds. Add  in healthy fats like coconut oil or delicious nut butters and you have a sticky and satisfying snack time. In conclusion I feel these plant based snacks have all  the makings for the perfect school snack. 

school snack ideas in Merritt

School Snack Idea #1 Chocolate Hummus

Hummus is a great one to lead with for school snack ideas. A different spin on a good classic staple. Hummus is great any time of the year. I love keeping a batch fresh and ready to spread on tortillas or rice cakes. That is where chocolate hummus comes into play. Decadent and dark, enjoyed with fresh fruit or pretzels this is a crowd pleaser. In addition to dates being a sneaky health building sidekick, binder and tasty thickener – they are high in fiber and may promote brain health. Which makes them a easy go-to for an after school snack.

Hummus

Unexpectedly Yummy

Chocolate Hummus Recipe

1 Can Chick Peas ( microwave for 3 mins to cook) 

6 Dates (more or less – depending on how much sweetness you are looking for)

1/2  Cup Cocoa Powder 

1/4 Cup Honey or Maple Syrup

Pinch of Sea Salt 

1/4 Cup Tahini Paste ( If you do not have any of this on hand, you could always use peanut butter or maybe almond butter)

Blend in your food processor  taste and enjoy! I recommend trying this a few times before you say you love it or hate it. It does have a “beany” taste some may pick up on. But I would say, don’t give up on it if they first batch is a bust. In conclusion I know my kids love this now. But did take some effort to warm up to the idea. I am ecstatic I can add it to my school snack idea rotations.

School Snack Idea #2 Fruit, Veggies & Protein

School snack ideas is not complete with out these three. For example, I keep fruit and veggies stocked up in this house. I was recently listening to the audio book “Atomic Habits” and in the book the author was talking about replacing cookies to fruit in your cookie jar. This was something I did years ago when my kids were little. I counted this as a win. 

Easy Kid Meals snacking

Un-Bear-Ably Cute

Previously, the sight of the cookie jar made me want a cookie.  Or my toddler would want a cookie. Since replacing the “cookie” with fruit. Our eating habits have improved as well as our waistlines. For us a easy protein is always nut butters or hummus. In addition a small handful of almonds or walnuts is also a great way to get some healthy fats and protein. This un-bear-ably cute snack was created with sliced “banana pennies”, peanut butter and tasty blue berries. 

School Snacks ideas for kids

Fun Food Kids Will Ask For Again & Again

Snack Idea #3 Treat balls

School snack ideas cant be complete with out these super simple and easy to do treats. I love making a huge batch of these and enjoying some right away. But then also tucking the rest away in the freezer. Perfect for when a sugar craving hits, or you need some easy protein after a work out or intense trip or as a reward for not buying the cookies you were eyeing at the supermarket. I personally love to use them as a way to get our daily flax seed intake in. Flax is delicate and can loose effectiveness if heated to high temperatures . So I feel the best way to enjoy it is either in a fresh smoothie or eating in a raw tasty treat ball. I like to store my flax in the freezer for freshness, it can go rancid if left in the cupboard for too long. 

Snack Idea #4 My Home Made Granola Bars

These are a great school snack idea! Granola bars always are a hit! They are perfect for adding into lunches or ready to go when you want to hit the trails and go on an adventure. So easy to have it ready for when you need some quick and easy inexpensive energy. I have made these bars for years. And have played around with different flours. You can always add an extra egg or add more apples sauce or even a banana if you use a flour that is more dense like whole wheat or spelt. 

Healthy Kid Snacks for school

Healthy Kid Snacks

Jens Granola Bars Recipe

2 1/2 Cups of rolled oats                                        

1 cup of flour

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup of apple sauce 

1 cup of ground flax seed

pinch of sea salt 

1/2 cup of honey

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of  either trail mix, chocolate chips, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, raisins and white chocolate chips, dried fruit. 

Oven; 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C)

Kid Approved School Snacks Ideas

Granola Bars Are Always A Treat!

Stir oats, flour and ground flax seeds, brown sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add your egg, honey, apple sauce, vanilla. Stir until evenly combined. Pour mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish, pat down and smooth evenly . Bake in pre-heated oven until golden and set. About 25 mins. 

Snack Idea #5 Roasted Chick Peas 

Simple Snacking for Toddlers

Easy for little fingers to handle also.

These are a great after school snack. Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber, and offer a good dose of iron while stabilizing your blood sugars. So all in all a great snack to reach for in the afternoon. I love to make a big batch of these and add to snack time or as a side to our lunches. These are super yummy sprinkled over salads here are a few recipe ideas to get you as excited for these as I am. I always bake mine in the oven, But I could see owning something like an air fryer might be pretty great for this healthy treat! 

Roasted Chick Peas school snack ideas

A tasty snack.

Doritos – This looks like a tasty option if you have a craving for chippies but gotta cut back. 

Basic  – This is an easy basic recipe to get you started. 

Cinnamon Sugar  – If you are looking for a healthier option for a sweet treat. This is also a tasty way to enjoy! 

Ketchup – We call our chickpeas “nibbles” due to using this cookbook. The ketchup version is so delicious. We have a bunch of ketchup lovers in this house so this satisfies the craving asap! 

In conclusion

 I hope you enjoyed my mash up of some of our favorite school snack idea’s! Its exciting to be blogging with the Experience Nicola Valley Bloggers! We are always so thankful when you stop by.  If your curious about getting to know me and my family a little more you can read this post. To learn how we do life with a large family. And you are always welcome to follow along with us on Instagram.

Login Lake BC Canada

Recipes for School Snacks

Recipes, ingredients and directions for 5 snacking ideas for school. 

 

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Large Chocolate Chip Cookies – Stay at Home Mom Recipes

Large  Chocolate Chip Cookies 

This Recipe is here to save your day! Try this Large Batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies today!

“One bite of these large chocolate chip cookies and all of your cares seem to slip away. But, and there is always a but, when dipped slowly into a cool glass of milk, or enjoyed with a steaming mug of hot coffee this is a moment you can savor and be present.”

 

Large Chocolate Chip Cookies – To begin with I am so thankful you stopped by today! I am very excited to be sharing with you, from my home kitchen in Logan Lake, BC, Canada,  my famous home-cooked recipe for large chocolate chip cookies! Honestly there are just some days you need a large batch of chocolate chip cookies… And fast!!! For example you might be looking to feed your hungry household, run a day care, need an extra large batch of chocolate chip cookies for an after school program or church function. Maybe even get a  jump on your Christmas cookie exchange!!!

Grandma’s Large Chocolate Chip Cookies  

For us, our reason for so many cookies is because we are a large family. I am mama of 7 kiddos, yes you read that right, and there ages 12 to 20 months.  On the whole these large batch chocolate cookies are here to save your day like they often have saved mine. I really wanted to share this family recipe to everyone in need of a bunch of cookies! In short these large batch chocolate chip cookies are certainly a delight! Chocolaty, the perfect reminiscent crisp and chewy mouthful from your childhood. I would know, as this cookie recipe has been passed down generations and now I am sharing it with my kids and you, my friends online. 

Freezer Cookies

Big Kid Approved

Busy Mama in the Kitchen 

Raising 7 children in the rugged and beautiful mountains of British Columbia Canada. That is me.  The other day we woke up  and the weather was so crisp and chilly. In other words, days like that are the best time to create a slow living day. We like to use baking times to our advantage. We love to teach applicable math skills to little ones and community in the kitchen. Having kids mix batter or add ingredients, and of course subtraction as the cookies cool off. You could say our kitchen seems like the heart beat of our home, Or maybe that is the laundry room. Either way if either of those rooms go down we are toast.  For example, when I get in the kitchen more often than not everything is “large batch”, likewise if I get in the laundry room —large batches in there also!

Busy Mamas are Always Prepared

It’s so great to have a freezer stocked up for the foreseeable future full of snacks or yummy treats. I also loved having large batch chocolate chip cookies ready for when we would go on day trips and pack a quick picnic lunch. Honestly, to have a freezer stocked with soups, snacks, granola bars, muffins and casseroles helps me stay on track of the home so much better. It also gives me peace of mind if someone gets sick, or I need a night off. In addition its perfect when we had friends pop over, so easy to thaw and enjoy. But there is also something so delicious about a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Yum…Yum!  

Fresh baked large chocolate chip cookies

Large Family – Baking Day!

One Bite of These Large Chocolate Chip Cookies and … 

… all of your cares seem to slip away. But, and there is always a but,  when dipped slowly into a cool glass of milk, or enjoyed with a steaming mug of hot coffee this is a moment you can savor and be present. Able to smile and find simple happiness. Enjoy the fruit of your labors. Likewise pause and look into the eyes of those you love and connect. Therefore, I am actively inputting  a lasting memory into the ones I love. Even though we are in a time of crisis you can chose to capture moments. As a result you create a anchor point of security and safety and comfort. This large batch of chocolate chip cookies will offer you comfort and nostalgia (Hi Garndma!) and an opportunity to practice being present and mindfulness. 

Kitchen Aid Mix Master

Baking with “littles” is always an adventure.

The Best Large Family Batch Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour 

2 tsp baking soda

1  tsp salt 

2 cups of vegetable shortening 

 1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 cups of chocolate chips  

*Optional*

1 – 2 cups chopped nuts 

Directions:

Pre-Heat Oven 375F

First of all. In a small bowl combine your flour, baking soda and salt. And set this aside.

Secondly in your large mixing bowl. Cream your shortening, brown sugar,  sugars in your mixing bowl for 2 mins on high. After that add in your eggs and vanilla extract. Then next your going to begin to add your dry mixture to the wet mixture. Gradually add your flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and chopped nuts. 

Drop by round measuring tablespoonfuls onto your cookie sheet. With this in mind I always use parchment paper in my baking. Bake 375F for 9-11 minutes. Additionally this makes about 10 dozen large batch chocolate chip cookies – Give or take a few.

Fresh Cookies

Chocolaty, Chewy.

You have 7 kids!? “How do you feed them all!?”

I am so grateful you took the time to read about one of the recipes that our family utilizes. As soon as people are initially introduced to me and learn that I am large family mom of 7 children. Undoubtedly, one questions I’m usually asked is, “how do you feed them all? I struggle just feeding myself.”

I am so excited to be able to start sharing how we raise our family here. Hoping to be able to bring a ton of motherhood, homeschooling and lifestyle content. Initially I really should disclose our days are so busy and full. And I really strive to try to capture the art of slow living in our bustling household.  Minimizing and streamlining areas of our lives are always my goal. For this reason a lot of my recipes are always large batch! And hence why large chocolate chip cookies were born.

If your interested in a more complete post on how we “feed them all”, a glimpse at our weekly or monthly meal plans or anymore larger than life recipes ( I have a bunch!!!!) Let me know in the comments below! 

Large Chocolate Chip Cookies Grandma Use To Make

Logan Lake, British Columbia, Canada

 

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